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Hernando Today

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 8, 2008

Rall Why Reader Subscribes

Re: Peter Stathis' rant about Rall.

I would expect no less from Mr. Stathis, since I have had the displeasure of reading many of his letters which you seem to find desirable to print on a regular basis.

To threaten your paper with cancellation unless you stop printing dissenting views to his is a childish statement to say the least. The fact that you print Mr. Rall's columns is, in fact, one of the reasons I continue to take your paper, which is known to hold a more Republican, if you will, stance than mine.

It is the only proof that your paper is open to views other than Mr. Stathis' that I read not only the many columns you carry with which I may disagree, but also the one columnist you carry with whom I do agree heartily.

Even Mr. Stathis must realize that Mr. Rall was writing with "tongue in cheek" and, as his article implied, nothing could possibly come of this in our present-day world filled with signs of anarchy in our own country and true Democracy becoming rarer by the minute. But it is a really good daydream. I, for one, would like to see his dream come true and thank you for having the courage to print his columns.

Douglas McClish

Brooksville

Pain Control Shoul

Be Left Up To Physician

As a former practicing dentist, now disabled and in severe daily chronic pain due to failed back surgery performed in 2002 in addition to other medical conditions, I go to a pain control physician every month for treatment and evaluation. I believe that the control of chronic pain by use of pharmaceutical agents, as well as by any other means, should be completely left up to the determination and treatment plan of the pain control physician who treats his patient.

Although there are many different ways of controlling pain, not all methods work for different patients. In this manner, a patient's pain control physician, who best knows his patient, is best able to make the correct determination as to which method will work best to keep his patient as pain-controlled as possible. I strongly believe this determination should be made only by the physician, and no other person or organization or any other agency should have any input with regard to controlling pain for a particular patient, who is well known to a pain control physician.

Although established guidelines are OK to use for reference only, I still believe that the final decision as to how much medication and which medication to use should be solely the decision of the pain control physician and nobody else!

Physicians go through a great deal of schooling and other training and are therefore quite qualified to make these kinds of decisions.

Richard K. Palais, DDS

Hernando Beach

Controlled Burn?

What is a "controlled burn?" Why is a controlled burn necessary when we are in drought conditions? Do all controlled burns turn in to uncontrolled burns? Who is responsible for a controlled burn - state or federal people?

We live in a nice gated community called Glen Lakes, which is located on U.S. 19 just 2 ½ miles north of State Road 50 and U.S. 19 intersection. Glen Lakes is adjacent to a nature preserve in Hernando County. The state or federal people have been creating a controlled burn in our area. I would assume that the burn was uncontrolled due to the large amount of smoke and debris, plus the use of helicopters carrying water to this area. The residents of Glen Lakes cannot understand the reasoning for this especially during the current drought conditions.

Many of our residents are having wild pig problems. These wild pigs are damaging the residents' yards. I am sure that everyone would be happy here, if the state or federal people would concentrate their efforts on the pig problem and forget about the burn. Hopefully, some responsible people will read and answer these questions.

Bud Quehl

Glen Lakes

Editor's note: On the controlled burn questions, your best bet would be to contact Don Ruths, wildfire mitigation specialist with the Withlacoochee Forestry Center, 15019 Broad St., Brooksville, FL 34601, 352-754-6777, Ext. 119, or via e-mail at ruthsd@doacs.state.fl.us. As for the wild pigs, nature preserves are set aside to protect wild animals - like wild pigs. It would make sense that housing areas located adjacent to nature preserves would allow homeowners better access to commune with nature and, therefore, the wild pigs and other such critters that make up that "nature."

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